Strathaven After School Club

Establishment Improvement Plan and Standards and Quality Report

2019/2020

Contents

Section 1: Standards and Quality Report

1A Introduction, Statement of Purpose and Improvement Objectives

1B Establishment Aims

1C Establishment Standards and Qualities

Section 2: Planning for Improvement

2A Establishment Position in Relation to Education Resources Improvement Priorities

2B Improvement Priority Action Plan

The Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (‘the Act’) places a duty on establishments to produce annual reports on its progress throughout the year. We take account of the Health and Social Care Standards (2017) issued by Scottish Ministers and work with Care Inspectorate’s through inspections to improve our standards for all service users.

This report with provide information to parents/carers and other service users about Strathaven After School Club and our successes.

Strathaven After School Club is situated within Wester Overton Primary School. We hire the dining hall and gym hall through South Lanarkshire Council, and the children have access to a changing room to store their coats and belongings, toilets and the outdoor play area. We were established In March 2000, and we operate in the voluntary sector. We have a board of directors made up of current parents who support management to run Strathaven After School Club. We provide breakfast club and after school club during term time and holiday during out of term time. We currently have 11 permanent members of staff including a manager and assistant manager, and 10 members of casual staff.

The environment we provide is safe and stimulating for children to feel peaceful and secure. We encourage children to respect their environment and other, and we encourage children to be involved in planning and to explore.

We promote children’s rights and ensure they are at the centre of all of our decisions; we also involve ourselves in the local community and encourage children to do so by taking part in Gala day, attending local pantomimes and inviting local visitors to work with the children by delivering workshops.

We implement GIRFEC throughout our planning and every day practice. We also have a GIRFEC board that we involve the children to fill each area.

We encourage parents to become involved by answering questionnaires, giving feedback of our service using our ‘question of the month’ and also joining the board of directors. We send out monthly newsletters to inform them of any information or changes that take place and we involve them in the Gala parade. We have a ‘post box’ in place and a number of sheets next to it. There is a ‘significant events’ sheet to let us know if something personal happens that may affect their child or they think we need to know about but they don’t feel comfortable telling us. There is a ‘suggestions sheet’ for parent/carers and children to fill in, and also a ‘staff recognition’ sheet that is drawn every month.

1A Introduction

Contact DetailsStrathaven After School Club

C/O Wester Overton School, Ashkirk Road, Strathaven ML10 6JTManager: Becci O’Brien

Telephone number: 07813469481Email: managersasc@hotmail.co.uk

South Lanarkshire Council’s vision is to ‘Work together to improve the quality of life for everyone in South Lanarkshire’.

“We aim to offer before and after school care and holiday care to children of school age up to 12 years (the day before their 13th birthday). We aim to offer play and education opportunities that are both fun and challenging. We will promote the dignity, privacy, choice, safety, potential and diversity of all users and staff of the Club.”

To the children

Our aim is to provide a top quality service in a safe, happy and comfortable environment placing clear emphasis on the social and educational welfare of each child as individuals.

To the parents

Our aim is to provide a service, which is designed to be flexible to suit the needs of all parents using the service. We will strive to maintain a policy of responding promptly to proposed improvements to the service.

To the staff

Our aim is to provide sufficient training and support to ensure that all staff are able to derive the maximum job satisfaction.

We will achieve these aims in the following way:

The Club will enforce policies and procedures that promote its aims in practice and will make these available to all staff, parents, children and young people.

The Club will adhere to all relevant legislation and take account of local and national guidance

The Club will employ competent and confident staff who have been appropriately vetted.

The Club will provide a balanced range of activities, taking account of the ages, development needs, interests and the pattern of attendance of each child.

The Club will contribute to the local community and will develop links with services and organisations that will assist it in meeting its aims.

The Club will operate a self-evaluation scheme as a means of ensuring continuous improvement and will involve all staff and users in this process.

The Club’s management will supervise the activities of the staff through a formal supervision and development programme.

The Club will encourage parents, children and young people to contribute to the life and work of the Club and will promote positive behaviour at all times.

1A Statement of Purpose

This year our establishment aims to develop areas using the Health and Social Care Standards for Scotland 2017.

1. To promote creativity within the club through a mixture of both adult and child initiated and led activities. (Standard 1: Wellbeing)

2. To enable children to lead their learning. (Standard 2: Dignity and Respect)

3. To develop personal plans and work closely with parents and children to be fully involved with the process. (Standard 1: Responsive Care and Support)

4. To promote the importance of children’s health in all aspects within the club. (Standard 1: Wellbeing)

1B Establishment Aims

Strathaven After School Club Ltd require staff, volunteers, users and sub contractors of services to comply with the following code of practice:

To treat users, colleagues, members of the public, staff and volunteers with respect and courtesy.

Language, conduct and appearance should maintain the image of the organisation and include refraining from the use of any language, conduct or dress which gives offence to others. This includes using racist, sexist or ageist terms, words which are offensive about people with disabilities, swearing, using an aggressive tone of voice, wearing football colours or clothing with slogans which may offend others or allowing users, visitors, volunteers or staff to do so.

The organisation is anti-sectarian and respects the multitudes of religious and other beliefs of our society. No user, visitor, staff member or volunteer should be discriminated against for their beliefs and appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that dietary requirements, religious holidays or festivals etc are taken into account. We will aim to offer appropriate multi-cultural activities which reflect the diversity of the community.

Punctuality is extremely important to Strathaven After School Club Ltd and this applies to staff, users, volunteers and others involved in the activities of the service. Prompt notification of lateness or non attendance is expected from all involved in order to keep the service running smoothly.

In public, staff, users, volunteers and others involved must be aware of the image they are projecting of the service and behaviour towards other members of the public should reflect the above standards.

The board of directors should also adhere to all of the above standards and: Make decisions based on the needs of the service. Not interfere with staff in the day to day running of the service unless there

are reasonable grounds to do so. Declare any conflict of interest at meetings where a decision could impact on

their business, friends or relatives or the organisation they represent. If personally interested in applying for a post with Strathaven After School

Club immediately resign from any position which is involved in the recruitment in any way.

The Club will seek the opinions of children and young people using the service, and act on their views, as a matter of ongoing daily practice as well as for the organisation’s annual review.

1C Establishment Standards and Qualities

Section 2:Planning for Improvement

2A Establishment Standards and Qualities

2A Improvement Priorities Session

2019/2020

Progress of Priorities and Impact for Service Users

To promote creativity within the club through a mixture of both adult and child initiated and led activities. (Standard 1: Wellbeing)

The introduction of creative activities for children to fulfil within club, such as dancing, singing and art and design.

Allowing the children to independently lead groups of creative activities

Arrange visitors to the club to deliver creative activities

To enable children to lead their learning. (Standard 2: Dignity and Respect)

Allowing children to be more involved with setting up activities

Creating ways for children to help with the planning process

Enabling children to lead activities independently

To develop personal plans and work closely with parents and children to be fully involved with the process. (Standard 1: Responsive Care and Support)

Work with parents and children to develop individual care plans and ‘all about me’

Set up online observations for children on Parentzone for parents to access

Ensure that care plans are adapted to be meaningful, up to date and accessible for parents and children.

To promote the importance of children’s health in all aspects within the club. (Standard 1: Wellbeing)

Work with parents, children, staff and the snack supplier to improve snack within the club.

Look to improve snacks for children with allergies and intolerances.

Promote exercise and energetic play throughout every session at club.

Create opportunities for children to express themselves and develop their mental health.